topic Re: Low Speed Record? in Plusnet Feedback

Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:13:34 GMT

Five days after leaving 3.1Mb with AOL (who kept having server breakdowns) I have found download speed drop from 1.2Mb to 0.18Mb.
Upload speed has stayed at 0.35Mb.
I have filled in two plusnet faults reports, changed my filter, checked speeds and checked BT.
So, what are you doing plusnet?

Re: Low Speed Record?

James — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:22:51 GMT

Hi Damson,
One of our CSC guys is currently testing your line, but I've just had a quick look myself.
From the various tests I'm able to run from this end, I can see that your connection had a "blip" and connected to the internet at 160Kbps. This in turn resulted into BT applying an IP Profile of 135Kbps against your line. Because you've since reconnected at 2976Kbps, you should be assigned an IP Profile of 2500Kbps if you manage to hold onto that connection for the next day or so.
I know this is a bit of a pain, but unfortunately it's how the BT system was designed to work.

Re: Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:37:01 GMT

No James.
I have just done a speed test and it is still 0.2Mb.....

Re: Low Speed Record?

jelv — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:39:09 GMT

Have you been messing around plugging any other equipment in to any of your phone sockets anywhere in the house? (Different phones, Sky box, fax...) Have you got a filter in every socket that is in use?
Something must have caused the very low sync - you need to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Re: Low Speed Record?

jelv — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:40:25 GMT

You won't see an increase in actual speed test results until BT increase your IP Profile. As James said that can take a couple of days.

Re: Low Speed Record?

James — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:40:50 GMT

Quote from: damson
No James.

Actually yes. I'm referring to your "synchronisation speed", which is the speed that your router connects with the exchange.
This need to remain stable for upto 3 days before BT lift the IP Profile which is causing your poor speed.

Re: Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:43:54 GMT

Jelv - there is nothing else plugged in, and, the filter has been changed without result.

Re: Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:46:23 GMT

James - when did the 3 days start?

Re: Low Speed Record?

jelv — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:51:04 GMT

For God's sake don't mess about changing things now or keep rebooting your router - unless you know there is a problem causing your current sync speed (NOT the result of a speed test) to be low.
As James indicated, what is needed now is for BT to see your line as stable.
Do you know how to get the sync speed, attenuation and noise margin out of your router (this page may help)? Can you post those please.

Re: Low Speed Record?

James — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:53:02 GMT

Damson - It was on the 27th.
Hopefully it should be amended before the 3 days pass.

Re: Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:17:28 GMT

Jelv and James.
Yes, I do know how to get the speed of my AOL router.
As I have only been a customer of plusnet for les than a week (and I never had a problem like this with AOL) I think something else is going on.
The speed has never been more than 1.2Mb wheras AOL (when AOL server were working) was always at 3.1Mb.
I think plusnet reduced speed on taking over the service to a level incompatible with being of merchantible quality and fit for the purpose.
I cannot refute what you say about reasons for speed now being further reduced except that I never that kind of problem with AOL (plenty of servers offline however).
Please provide address of OFTEL so I may make a complaint.

Re: Low Speed Record?

James — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:21:06 GMT

With all due respect, OFTEL will throw out your complaint as soon as you make it.
You have suffered a low sync event, meaning that your router dropped the connection to the internet briefly and reconnected at a slow speed.
I've written about this in detail here: link:speed

Re: Low Speed Record?

HPsauce — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:23:31 GMT

Quote from: damson
I think plusnet reduced speed on taking over the service

And I think you're being paranoid, but that doesn't make either of us right.
You've been given a 100% correct explanation, if you're not prepared to believe it maybe you should move on to an ISP you can trust?

Re: Low Speed Record?

jelv — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:43:05 GMT

Quote from: damson
The speed has never been more than 1.2Mb wheras AOL (when AOL server were working) was always at 3.1Mb.

Were you on LLU with AOL?
If you posted the router stats (sync speed, attenuation and noise margin) as requested we would have ~~a far better~~ some idea of what is going on. Without those figures we haven't anything to go on.

Re: Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:47:16 GMT

You have never supplied a service even half that of AOL (you have not explained that).
In respect of the further reduction I never had that with AOL (see my post) despite being with them for 18 months.
I would gladly move to another ISP if this were not the 8th day of my contract with you (a day too late).
I repeat my request for the address of OFTEL.

Re: Low Speed Record?

jelv — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:25:08 GMT

Quote from: damson
You have never supplied a service ...

Who is that comment addressed to?
Why won't you do as I requested and post your router stats? (are you trolling?)

Re: Low Speed Record?

paulby — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:10:19 GMT

It's not Oftel it's Ofcom.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/
However, as others have posted, you need to wait until BT's sytems update your profile - that can take up to three days.
Speed faults do happen and are usually the result of bad wiring or unfiltered sockets. A blip like you've seen can be caused by pulling the router connection out of the phone socket without turning the router off first, for example. If you don't get another blip your speeds should improve when the exchange sorts your profile out (this is *nothing* to do with Plusnet - it's the same with any provider who uses BT's systems). You can check your profile by running a BT Speedtest - it's called the IP Profile on the results. You'll not get a speed tester to give you a result higher than this figure. You can also check this in the PN member center here - it's under "current line speed" and should be the same as the BT Speedtester result for IP profile.
Note that your speed will not improve until your IP profile does - this is down to an automated system out of Plunet's control. You just have to sit tight for three days.
Also remember that most people who post on here DO NOT work for Plusnet - they're users of the service just like you.

Re: Low Speed Record?

jelv — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:14:30 GMT

Why couldn't you just Google OFTEL yourself?
Anyway, here's a link to the information you requested: http://www.oftel.gov.uk/

Re: Low Speed Record?

damson — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:03:58 GMT

Jelv
"You" = plusnet.
BT have (I understand from plusnet engineer link:csa removed ) accepted that there a line fault causing the line to intermittently fail.
No I am not trolling, I am a customer pursuing a company whose actions deserve to be made public for the benefit of other customers.

Moderators note by Chemical Brother: Customer Service Agents' Name removed as per the link:rules

Re: Low Speed Record?

James — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:01:06 GMT

Hi Damson,
Thanks for your time on the phone just now.
It looks like your Sky box was probably causing some interference to the signal that your router was getting, and disconnecting this has improved your signal speed by 1Mbps.
Like I said, if you give it 2-3 days, you should see your speeds back to the level that they used to be at.